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FFS UEFA Rest of Europe – The Story So Far, and what’s next?

It’s fair to say it’s been an interesting FPL season so far. Injuries, hits and wildcards have been plentiful as managers struggle to deal with the breaks. But what has all this meant for the FFS UEFA leagues. Let’s take a look at the Rest of Europe in brief.

Up at the top, AZ Alkmaar under Doctor X have been imperious so far with a perfect 6 wins from the opening 6 matches. Just below we we see 6 teams tied on 12 points with Sporting CP (TorresMagic), Feyenoord (Djerbil), Panathanaikos (Acquafresca), Limerick (Home Run Baker), APOEL (Archie) and Ajax (perennial UEFA struggler JK) all sitting just behind. At the bottom we find Benfica (Siva Mohan) with just 1 win and CSKA Moscow (Jaga Bonito) with 1 win a draw. Just above them things are tight with KR Reykjavik (Roscola), Zenit (Messimerized), Rangers (Dynamic) and FC Basel (Just a Hat) all tied on 6 points. With that covered, let’s take a look at the forthcoming week and look at what may happen

KR Reykjavik (Roscola) v CSKA Moscow (Jaga Bonito) An early season 6 pointer perhaps? 2 sides who could both do with a win desperately as 19th plays 18th. Both sides have plenty of common players (Mignolet, Vidic, Coleman, Sturridge and Giroud) and both have taken a 4 point hit. So this tie looks like a battle of transfers and key differentials. Roscola will be looking to Rooney and Michu to lead him home, whilst Jaga Bonito will be looking to Ozil, and perhaps, Suarez (has he brought him in for Benteke?) to take the lead

Prediction – Roscola

AZ Alkmaar (Doctor X) v Panathanaikos (Acquafresca) A top of the table clash this time, and many in the ROE will be looking to so called ‘elite player’ Acquafresca to take something from this tie. Both had great weeks last time out and so far neither has seen any need to use a transfer. It’s also tough as these 2 teams are remarkably similar (even if their respective rankings tell a different story) Boruc,, Nastasic, Ben Turner, Michu, Barkely, Ozil, Eriksen, Rooney. This is a true clash of differentials. Doctor X will rely on Terry, Wilson, Vidic, Sturridge and Giroud whilst Acqua turns to Dawson, Evra, Clyne, Suarez and Lukaku. This is easily the tie of the round

Prediction – Doctor X

FC Basel (Just a Hat) v Rangers (Dynamic) Another clash between two teams languishing at the bottom of the table. We have a 4 point hit from Rangers and an 8 pointer from Basel which could well shake things up, and i expect to see Suarez arrive in both teams, most likely for Soldado in both cases. For JAH a triple on Arsenal attack looks like being his main route, and he’ll be hoping that David Moyes has managed to find Wayne Rooney. For Dynamic he turns to the Robin Reliant for leadership and will be hoping that the Dutchman can find some form, if not it could be a struggle for him unless Ben Arfa steps up to the mark

Prediction – Just a Hat

Feyenoord (Djerbil) v APOEL (Archie) Once again we move from a clash between 2 sides at the bottom end of the table to a clash between two sides at the top end. Feyenoord have used their transfer and I expect that Ramsey has come in for Mirallas. For APOEL 3 transfers and 8 points have been spend and I predict that Benteke, Nolan and Ben Arfa have departed for Suarez, Ramsey and Paulinho or Siggurdsson. So, where will this tie be decided? APOEL will likely look to Mignolet, Suarez and Soldado whilst APOEL will turn to Boruc, Giroud and Rooney. It looks like Liverpool could decide this one

Prediction Draw

Galtassary (Sidharth) v Celtic (Potatoace) Ah, the lesser spotted mid-table clash. Gala sit on 9 points with Celtic on 7, so a defeat for Celtic could put them under pressure, even at this early stage. Sidharth has used his 2 transfers and I expect Kelly and Ben Arfa to have departed and to be replaced by Toure and Ramsey, Celtic have yet to use theirs. Ben Arfa (potentially) Rooney and Giroud are the players in common here. As for the key differentials. Galatassary will be looking to Sturride, Michu and Evra. Celtic will turn to Soldado, Ramsey (assuming Gala didn’t bring him in) Eriksen, Walker and Ivanovic

Porto (AK) v Sporting CP (TorresMagic) Well well, a good old fashioned grudge match as AK’s Porto take on Sporting CP *clenches fist* led by TorresMagic. Given the matches being played elsewhere a win here could see TorresMagic move in a clear 2nd spot. With Porto’s 8 point hit, things look good for Sporting and unless Vidic and Terry can grab goals it’s difficult to see where Porto can claw those points back from. Suarez will likely have arrived in place of Soldado for Porto, but Sporting have him safely in situ already. I also expect Brady and possibly Lampard to have departed for Ramsey and Eriksen. So it comes down to Terry, Vidic, Ramsey and Van Persie v Wilson, Clyne, Ozil and Rooney

Prediction – TorresMagic

PSV (MataCR7) v FC Copenhagen (Gigging Order)

Aha, another mid-table battle, and an interesting one at that, 2 very different teams here. PSV have a 4 point hit, Copenhagen, looking to save the transfer. The only common players here are Coleman and Giroud. So, plenty of ways to win this one, and PSV will need them. The Mata is CR7 is Hazardous to Messi (to give the PSV manager his full title, which I will not do again) will be looking to Boruc, Rooney, Lukaku, Vidic, Ramsey, Ozil and Eriksen. As for the transfers it’s hard to work out what PSV have done though I suspect Ben Arfa has departed. Copenhagen will turn to Mignolet, Shaw, Michu, Oscar, Moses, van Persie and Suarez.

Prediction – Gigging Order

Shaktar (Sarnab) v Limerick (Home Run Baker)

HRB is another who will be hoping to edge away from the chasing pack here, whist Sarnab will aim for a third win on the bounce. Sarnab has used his transfer, likely to be Ramsey in for Mirallas, whilst HRB is another on the save transfer wagon. A few common players knocking about in here, Boruc, Ozil, Sturridge and Giroud. So, where will this one be decided? Sarnab will be looking to Dawson, van Persie, Ben Arfa and probably Ramsey to make the difference. For GO Rooney, Michu, Moses and Terry will be his go-to guys. This will be a tight affair I feel

Even at this early stage every match is a must win for Benfica if they want to avoid being cast adrift at the foot of the table. The question is, have they got the tools to do it? Both teams contain Moses, Ben Arfa, Rooney and Giroud although Ben Arfa could have departed for Partick, with Ramsey being the most likely replacement. So, who could make the difference. Partick will look to Mignolet, Ivanovic and Lukaku. But, if he gets a start they could have a massive differential in Shinji Kagawa, but that is one heck of an if. For Benfica, Boruc, Eriksen, Hazard and Aguero are the men they will look to carry them over them line, but I’m not sure that will be enough

Prediction – Partick

Zenit (Messimerized) v Ajax (JK)

Well, talk about saving the best till last. Here we find another mid-table side in Zenit, with another side who will be looking to try and break away from the pack in Ajax, perhaps the unluckiest team in the last round, having gone down by just a single point. So, what will make or break this tie? Messimerized has not made a transfer, JK has used his, so no hits here. Here we see that both teams contain Mignolet, Coleman Ben, Turner and Sturridge. So, who will step up to the plate? For Zenit they will look to Zabaleta, Eriksen, Ozil, Lambert and Soldado. Ajax will be hoping that Man Utd can get going as they look to Vidic, Rooney and van Persie. Alongside them they will be hoping for contributions from Kolarov, Ben Arfa, Michu and Ramsey. Simply put, if United fire, Ajax win, if they don’t it looks like Zenit win